Adding a new isolation switch ahead of main panel USA style

[Erie Fred]

In fairness, I think what you tend to have seen so far is some fairly gash old domestic installs.

Have a quick look over on Hager UK twitter as people post up install pictures and they run an installer of the year competition, which might give you look at some slightly better examples.

View attachment 404399

https://hager.com/uk/get-involved/competitions/ioty-22

You could also check out jointech cabling on gaztube. He does a lot of the bigger commercial stuff.

Thank you for this, will poke around the linked places.

 

[AdventuresInMetal]

A small board out in my shed, nothing special but a pretty standard install, they don't have to be messy cramped things, it really doesn't take much extra effort, though the tails clamp is slightly amusing on my little 6mm2 incoming supply

 

[Erie Fred]

A small board out in my shed, nothing special but a pretty standard install, they don't have to be messy cramped things, it really doesn't take much extra effort, though the tails clamp is slightly amusing on my little 6mm2 incoming supply
View attachment 404435

Is "Line" on the bottom ?
And "Load" is on the top ?

and what is behind that cover along the bottom with the "Live" warning ?

 

[AdventuresInMetal]

Yes, incoming power goes into the top of the main switch, at the bottom of the main switch on the left is a bus bar going to MCB's / RCBO's and then on the right side the neutral comes out to the neutral bus bar at the top of the board.

 

[Erie Fred]

Yes, incoming power goes into the top of the main switch, at the bottom of the main switch on the left is a bus bar going to MCB's / RCBO's and then on the right side the neutral comes out to the neutral bus bar at the top of the board.

I see.
So in the top, across the bottom, and then back out the top.

 

[Seadog]

That one is, but I don't think that's mandatory.

 

[MetalMonkey]

I see.
So in the top, across the bottom, and then back out the top.

That is typical for the domestic board, line feeds in the main switch at the top, out the bottom to a copper busbar and then through each individual breaker from the bottom back out of the top.
On three phase commercial boards the breakers are often horizontal instead and they tend to feed in from the centre and exit out of the sides.

 

[Erie Fred]

That is typical for the domestic board, line feeds in the main switch at the top, out the bottom to a copper busbar and then through each individual breaker from the bottom back out of the top.
On three phase commercial boards the breakers are often horizontal instead and they tend to feed in from the centre and exit out of the sides.

Yes, I see that.
As several have commented before, Our residential panels look very much like industrial panels in your neck of the woods.

Odd, I wonder what drove this ?
Codes & regulations are sometimes written to help out certain people.

 

[m_c]

Yes, I see that.
As several have commented before, Our residential panels look very much like industrial panels in your neck of the woods.

Odd, I wonder what drove this ?
Codes & regulations are sometimes written to help out certain people.

Probably just a convention thing.
Ye olde fuses were also typically vertical, so the fact circuit breakers/RCBOs are also vertical is just following convention.

I'd guess industrial stuff is more likely to be horizontal due to practicalities. Imagine a large horizontal cabinet with a door that you had to prop-up/let hang down, or even swing open sideways. Plus if it's getting squeezed in between other stuff, it takes less width.

 

[brightspark]

Probably just a convention thing.
Ye olde fuses were also typically vertical, so the fact circuit breakers/RCBOs are also vertical is just following convention.

I'd guess industrial stuff is more likely to be horizontal due to practicalities. Imagine a large horizontal cabinet with a door that you had to prop-up/let hang down, or even swing open sideways. Plus if it's getting squeezed in between other stuff, it takes less width.

the older 3 phase boards were tall had 3 banks of cartridge fuses up to about 24 ways 8 single pole each row

 

[Erie Fred]

I removed the old screw in fuse panel from the house, the original had 4 in a row across the bottom, they added another (4) fuses in another box with 4 in a square.....